Max Verstappen has clarified that his relationship with Red Bull team boss Christian Horner is “strong” and he is ready to stay “forever”.

Relations between Horner – who has served as team boss since Red Bull joined the F1 grid in 2005 – and Max’s father Jos Verstappen have been in the spotlight throughout 2024, with Jos taking aim on multiple occasions, the tension stemming from an internal Red Bull GmbH investigation into Horner’s behaviour following accusations from a fellow employee. Horner denied all accusations and the case was dismissed.

Max Verstappen and Christian Horner on good terms

But with Horner and Jos at odds, Max was drawn into the situation with questions raised over his Red Bull future.

The four-time World Champion though insists that he has no issues with Horner.

“You would rather not have to deal with all these kind of things,” Verstappen confessed in an interview with PA news agency.

“I always tried to focus on the performance, work with the engineers, and try not to make it all blow up.

“I have a really good relationship [with Horner]. It is a strong relationship.”

Max was linked with the likes of Mercedes and Aston Martin during the Red Bull turbulence. A switch to Aston Martin would allow him to re-unite with two key pillars of his title-winning success with Red Bull, Adrian Newey and Honda.

However, Max does not want to depart. In fact, he would love nothing more than to never leave Red Bull.

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His current Red Bull contract – the longest anywhere on the F1 grid – runs until the end of 2028.

“It is not like I need to try to win the World Championship somewhere else,” said Max. “That is not a desire from my side. I am just happy where I am at.

“And it would also be very beautiful if you just could stay with one team and race there forever. I would like to believe [that could be with Red Bull]. That is the target.

“Am I bothered about a legacy? No. I don’t value my success because of what other people say. If I am happy, that is all that matters.

“In sport, you also need a bit of luck to be in the right team for a long time. It doesn’t mean that the guy with the most titles is actually the best.”

Max has ensured fresh title success for Red Bull in F1 2024, but their Constructors’ Championship hopes are hanging by a thread at the penultimate round in Qatar, Red Bull sitting P3 in the standings and 53 points behind leaders McLaren.

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